Cubic Yard Calculator
A cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet (0.765 cubic meters) of material. To find how many cubic yards you need, multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27. This calculator does that math for you and shows results for mulch, topsoil, gravel, sand, dirt, and concrete.
How to Use This Cubic Yard Calculator
To get your material estimate, follow these 4 steps:
- Measure the length of your project area in feet.
- Measure the width in feet. For circles, measure the diameter instead.
- Enter the depth in inches. Most mulch beds need 3 inches; most concrete slabs need 4 inches.
- Click Calculate to see your total in cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters.
The result includes a 5% buffer option. Turn it on if your area has curves, slopes, or uneven ground.
What Is a Cubic Yard?
A cubic yard is a volume measurement equal to a cube that measures 3 feet on every side — 3 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 3 ft tall. That works out to 27 cubic feet, 46,656 cubic inches, or about 202 gallons (765 liters).
Numbers on a screen feel abstract, so picture the real thing. One cubic yard of mulch fills a standard washing machine drum about 9 times. It fills roughly 14 wheelbarrow loads if your wheelbarrow holds 2 cubic feet. Spread at 3 inches deep, that same yard covers a 10 ft × 10 ft garden bed with a little left over.
Landscape suppliers, concrete plants, and dirt haulers across the USA all sell by the cubic yard. Get this number right and you order once. Get it wrong and you pay a second delivery fee — usually $50 to $100.
Cubic Yard Formula
The formula is: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards.
Depth trips people up because they measure it in inches. Convert it first: divide inches by 12. So 3 inches becomes 0.25 feet, and 4 inches becomes 0.33 feet.
Square or Rectangular Areas
A 12 ft × 9 ft flower bed at 3 inches deep works like this:
12 × 9 × 0.25 = 27 cubic feet 27 ÷ 27 = 1 cubic yard exactly
Circular Areas
For circles, use: 3.14 × radius² × depth (ft) ÷ 27.
A round fire pit area with a 6 ft radius at 4 inches deep:
3.14 × 36 × 0.33 = 37.3 cubic feet 37.3 ÷ 27 = 1.38 cubic yards — order 1.5 to stay safe.
Cubic Yard Coverage Chart
One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep. Divide 324 by your depth in inches to find your coverage.
| Depth | Coverage per Cubic Yard |
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft |
Pick your depth based on the job, not guesswork. Decorative mulch looks fine at 2 inches. Weed suppression needs 3 to 4 inches. Playground surfacing under swings and slides needs 9 to 12 inches to meet CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) fall-protection guidance — a detail most homeowners miss until inspection day.
How Much Does a Cubic Yard Weigh?
A cubic yard weighs between 400 and 4,050 pounds (181 to 1,837 kg) depending on the material. Moisture changes these numbers fast — wet topsoil can weigh 30% more than dry.
| Material | Weight per Cubic Yard |
| Dry mulch | 400–800 lbs (181–363 kg) |
| Compost | 1,000–1,600 lbs (454–726 kg) |
| Topsoil | 1,800–2,200 lbs (816–998 kg) |
| Sand | 2,600–3,000 lbs (1,179–1,361 kg) |
| Gravel | 2,400–2,900 lbs (1,089–1,315 kg) |
| Crushed stone | 2,700–3,000 lbs (1,225–1,361 kg) |
| Concrete | 3,600–4,050 lbs (1,633–1,837 kg) |
Weight matters more than volume when your truck does the hauling. Keep reading.
Cubic Yards to Tons Conversion
To convert cubic yards to tons, multiply the cubic yards by the material’s weight in pounds, then divide by 2,000. Suppliers quote gravel and stone in tons, so you’ll need this conversion at the counter.
| Material | 1 Cubic Yard ≈ Tons |
| Mulch | 0.2–0.4 tons |
| Topsoil | 0.9–1.1 tons |
| Sand | 1.3–1.5 tons |
| Gravel | 1.2–1.45 tons |
| Crushed stone | 1.35–1.5 tons |
| Concrete | 1.8–2.03 tons |
Quick example: 3 cubic yards of gravel × 1.35 = about 4 tons. Ask your supplier for their exact density — pea gravel, river rock, and crusher run each convert differently.
How Many Cubic Yards Fit in a Truck?
A full-size pickup truck holds 2 to 2.5 cubic yards of mulch but only 1 cubic yard of soil or gravel. Volume isn’t the limit — payload is. A half-ton pickup maxes out around 1,500 to 2,000 pounds (680 to 907 kg), and 1 yard of topsoil already hits that ceiling.
| Vehicle | Mulch Capacity | Soil/Gravel Capacity |
| Small pickup (5 ft bed) | 1–1.5 yds | 0.5 yds |
| Full-size pickup (8 ft bed) | 2–2.5 yds | 1 yd |
| Single-axle dump truck | 5–6 yds | 5 yds |
| Tandem dump truck | 10–14 yds | 10–12 yds |
Order 3 or more yards of heavy material and delivery beats three sagging trips in your own truck every time.
Bulk Delivery vs Bagged Material: Which Costs Less?
Bulk delivery costs less than bags once you pass 1 cubic yard. Here’s the math for mulch in 2026:
- Bagged: One cubic yard takes 13.5 bags of the standard 2 cu ft size. At $4.50 per bag, that’s about $61 per yard — before you load, haul, and unload 13 bags yourself.
- Bulk: The same yard costs $35 to $50 delivered in most US metro areas.
Bags win only for small jobs under half a yard, or when you need to carry material through a house to a backyard with no side access. For everything else, bulk saves 20% to 40%.
Cubic Yard Prices in 2026
Bulk landscaping material costs $25 to $185 per cubic yard in 2026, depending on the material and your region. Typical delivered prices across the USA:
| Material | 2026 Price per Cubic Yard |
| Fill dirt | $15–$30 |
| Topsoil (screened) | $25–$50 |
| Hardwood mulch | $35–$65 |
| Compost | $30–$55 |
| Pea gravel | $40–$75 |
| Crushed stone | $45–$80 |
| Ready-mix concrete | $155–$185 |
Two ways to trim these numbers: order in fall when demand drops and many yards discount 10% to 15%, and combine materials into one delivery to pay a single $50–$100 delivery fee instead of two.
How Much Extra Should You Order?
Add 5% to 20% extra material depending on your project type. Materials settle, spill, and compact — running short mid-job costs more than a small buffer.
- Flat driveways and slabs: add 5%
- Standard garden beds: add 10%
- Curved or irregular beds: add 15%
- Slopes and drainage projects: add 20%
Concrete deserves special caution. A short pour creates a visible cold joint that weakens the slab, so every contractor rounds concrete up, never down.
3 Common Measuring Mistakes
These 3 errors cause most wrong orders:
- Skipping the inches-to-feet conversion. Typing “3” for depth instead of 0.25 feet inflates your result 12 times over. It’s the single most frequent calculator error.
- Measuring irregular areas as one rectangle. Split L-shaped or curved beds into 2 or 3 simple sections, calculate each, then add them together.
- Ignoring compaction. Gravel and soil compact 10% to 20% after tamping or rain, so a “finished” 4-inch base needs closer to 5 inches of loose material.
Ready to Order the Right Amount?
Scroll up, punch in your measurements, and get your exact cubic yardage in seconds. Bookmark this cubic yard calculator before your next mulch, soil, or concrete project — your budget and your back will thank you.
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Rachel Park
Rachel Park leads ConstructionSpedia’s sustainability, roofing, and building materials content. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Building Systems from the University of California, Berkeley and is a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP BD+C).
With over 10 years of experience in commercial and residential construction, Rachel specializes in roofing systems, sustainable building practices, energy-efficient materials, waterproofing, insulation, and building performance. At ConstructionSpedia, she researches, reviews, and publishes expert content on roofing, construction, home improvement, and green building to help homeowners and industry professionals make informed decision
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